Nov 24, 2010

AXL ROSE Sues Activision Over "Guitar Hero" Games

MUSIC NEWS- The feud continues, so don't count on Axl Rose hanging out with ex-bandmate Slash anytime soon. The Guns N Roses frontman, Rose just filed a $20 million lawsuit against "Guitar Hero" videogame maker Activision, reports the Hollywood Reporter. Rose says Activision's use of the Guns N Roses tune, "Welcome to the Jungle" violated an agreement not to include any imagery of ex-guitarist Saul Hudson (aka Slash) in the video game.

In his lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Rose and his Black Frog Music company claim that Activision Blizzard fraudulently induced Rose into authorizing "Jungle" for use in their "Guitar Hero 3" game by telling him during negotiations that the company would not make any reference to the former GNR member, Slash, or Slash's band, Velvet Revolver.

"Activision began spinning a web of lies and deception to conceal its true intentions to not only feature Slash and VR prominently in 'GH 3,' but also promote the game by emphasizing and reinforcing an association between Slash and Guns N Roses and the band's song 'Welcome to the Jungle,'" Rose's complaint says.

When Mr Rose found out that a "Slash-like "character and Velvet Revolver tunes were included in "Guitar Hero 2," he said he immediately rescinded the authorization for "Jungle," but Activision allegedly lied and told him the use was only for an industry trade show event. When "GH 3" was released and it's packaging featured "an animated depiction of Slash, with his signature black top hat, long dark curly hair, dark sunglasses and nose-piercing," according to the complaint. Having the former GNR guitarist featured prominently on "GH 3" enraged Rose.

Rose wants $20 million in damages from sales of the popular game. Stay tuned..